MauleWaco,
I'm sure you know that the big diameter tires reduce brake effictiveness because you are covering much more ground per tire/brake disk rotation. So maybe before the big tires you had plenty of brake, but after the big tires you may not.

The older Maules, M4 and M5's had/have a weaker brake master cylinder pushrod. The force placed on them by the pilot attempting a quick stop, would often bend them when using single puck brakes with 8.50 and bigger tyres. Double puck brakes require dramatically less force with the much greater pad area, are more controllable and have better heatup and dissipation qualities with the thicker 3/8" discs.
High heat buildup on the single puck 1/4" discs can warp them also.

so what is the remedy for the older serrated style master cylinder pushrods? can you buy just the pushrod from maule, or does it take a whole new master cylinder???
mine don't appear to be bent, but they get stuck every once in a while, usually when spinning around into a parking spot when you would spike the brake. they have the serrated pushrods. any advice?

No remedy except to change cylinders, however, if you have double pucks there is alot less pressure needed when applying brakes.
If you put alot of pressure on when setting the parking brake, this also loads the pushrods sideways.
If your rods are occasionally catching, I would remove the parking brake tabs on top of the cylinders and do without parking brakes.

thanks jeremy. i use double pucks in the summer, but have to put the single pucks on for use with my wheel skis. it will do it with either caliper.

my parking brake is removed anyway, so i will now be removing the tabs on top of the cylinders to see if this makes it stop.